This factsheet explains how to embed gender impact assessments (GIAs) into everyday work in emergency management. It builds on the Commission’s GIA toolkit (Embedding gender impact assessments into your organisation), with examples tailored to emergency management (EM).
Staff can customise and share key messages in internal communications. Staff responsible for compliance can use this guidance to support GIAs in EM.
You can download a copy of this factsheet at the bottom of this page.
Creating an enabling environment
Making GIAs part of everyday work helps strengthen gender equality and inclusion. Clear roles, processes and expectations help staff apply GIAs consistently, especially during emergencies.
To make gender equality a part of EM decision-making and services it is important to:
- get buy-in
- build staff capacity
- have clear reporting.
Key areas of focus
1. Secure leadership and workforce commitment
- Include GIA responsibilities in relevant EM roles, where appropriate.
- Set a performance and development goal for the EM team that relates to GIAs.
- Set up ways to share wins and lessons learned through internal and external communications channels.
2. Embed into existing processes and structures
- Add reminders to complete a GIA into:
- EM plans and sub-plans your organisation is responsible for
- development plans
- approval templates.
- Include a prompt about intersectional gender equality in:
- briefing templates
- Standard operating procedures for emergency relief centres.
- Add gender identification questions in surveys to inform emergency priorities.
- Example: ‘What is your gender?’ with response options: woman, man, non-binary, I use a different term, prefer not to say.
3. Establish systems for prioritisation and decision-making
- Document your approach to GIAs. Decide whether you will start at the top-level strategy or focus on community-facing programs and services.
- Identify who approves GIA recommendations and a clear decision-making pathway.
- Decide whether GIA decision-making will sit in your organisation or governance structures. Communicate this clearly.
4. Resourcing, training, and guidance
- Run a professional development session for staff each year on how emergencies affect people of different genders. Ensure it incorporates an intersectional lens.
- Form a partnership with an organisation with expertise in gender and emergencies. This could be a:
- local women’s health service
- specialist family violence service
- Gender and Disaster Australia.
5. Accountability and monitoring
- Add GIAs as a standing agenda item in relevant meetings or governance groups.
- Make GIA monitoring part of committees, EM working groups, or recovery planning team duties. Set up regular tracking and monitor progress metrics.
- Set up feedback processes to gather insights from diverse community members, including women, LGBTIQA+ people, and culturally and racially marginalised communities. Ensure you understand how well their needs are being met.
6. Managing potential resistance
- Use the scenarios outlined in 6. Activity: Starting conversations about gender and emergencies. These can spark talks about common challenges on the gendered impacts of emergencies.
- Create clear messaging that explains the compliance requirements for GIAs. Include the need to seek input from a wide range of at-risk populations under the:
- Emergency Management Act 2013
- Gender Equality Act 2020.
- Hold regular forums or debriefs with key staff. Discuss challenges or concerns around GIAs.
- Provide a platform for team members to ask questions.
Download a copy of this factsheet:
Updated